Oolong Huang Mei Gui Tea

Huang Mei Gui is a rock oolong whose name can be translated as “yellow rose.” This name originated fairly recently, as this product only saw the dawn of its production in 2002. Prior to this date, the cultivar of this tea was perfected and grown on the rocky soil of the Wuyi Mountains, where today it is made capable of entering the market by right along with other more famous varieties such as Shui Jing Gui, Tie Luo Han, Shui Xian, etc.

This product sees its aromatic and floral characteristics stand out greatly compared to other yanchas partly due to a lower than average level of oxidation. Roasting is also often done more lightly, resulting in a slightly acidic flavor that along with floral notes will linger on the palate leaving a very rich aftertaste.

Obviously throughout the tasting you will clearly feel the mineral effect given by the soil, which will give the body of the tea a lot of softness and also increase the persistence of the flavors described above. We encourage you to infuse this tea with the gong fu cha method in order to fully appreciate the complexity and interactions that these flavors can manifest on the palate.

Tasting – Sight and smell

Huang Mei Gui oolong tea has medium to large whole leaves with a rolled shape and a brown color with brown hues and mahogany highlights. Once infused, the leaves release intense aromas of flowers, roasted almonds, burnt caramel, cocoa butter and bread crust. In the cup, the liquor is bright and clear, dark orange in color with amber highlights.

Tasting Notes

GONG FU CHA

The first infusion of Huang Mei Gui oolong tea has distinct floral notes of orchid, sweet hints of brown sugar, and a fruity finish reminiscent of the tropical, with notes of coconut and fresh pineapple. With the second infusion, the intensity of floral notes grows, to which orange blossom and monoi flowers are added. A citric note also appears, perceived on the sides of the tongue, which amplifies the sensation of freshness given by the flowers. Soft, sweet hints of coconut butter and black bread close. With the third infusion, the sour note disappears to give way to sweet, enveloping hints of cocoa and roasted nuts, such as almonds and hazelnuts. The tea definitely remains floral, with faint notes of vanilla sugar and a hint of coconut on the finish.

WESTERN

The first sip of Huang Mei Gui oolong tea envelops the palate with the smoothness and sweetness of cocoa and roasted nuts. Immediately afterwards, flowers are perceived, with intense notes of orchid and aquatic flowers and exotic notes of monoi. The evolution on the palate leads right on to tropical hints, with fruity notes such as coconut, pineapple and kiwi and a very slight sour note on the sides of the tongue. On the finish, notes of black bread crust and caramel emerge, while floral and faintly vanilla hints linger on the persistence. The tea has a medium body and is totally free of bitterness, with minimally detectable astringency.

Place of origin

Wuyi Shan, Fujian – China

Production

After harvesting, Huang Mei Gui leaves wilt in the sun for some time before moving to a resting phase on indoor bamboo trays. Here it’s where the oxidation starts thanks to a manipulation of the leaves (the shaking) made by the tea master. Once the tea reaches the desired level of oxidation (here there is approximately 45 percent oxidation) the leaves pass into a charcoal-heated kiln where enzymatic activity is stopped. After this stage in the oven, the leaf is given its final shape using a special machine before moving on to the leaf roasting cycles, which allow the product to finish drying and enhance its flavours.

How to prepare

We strongly recommend infusing Huang Mei Gui tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, 6 grams of leaves (about 4 teaspoons) can be used in a gaiwan of about 100 ml to obtain several infusions with different tastes. After a quick rinsing of the leaves in water at 100°C (212°F) a first infusion of 10 seconds can be done and, after that, keeping the water at the same temperature, it can be done increasing each time the time of 5 seconds compared to the previous infusion (10 – 15 – 20…)

This tea has a longevity of about 7 brewings.

To prepare the tea in the western style we suggest 3 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) in a 150 ml cup with 100°C water for a steeping time of one minute and a half.

The tea can be filtered for ease when tasting, and also the infusion times given here above are meant to be purely indicative so one can also adjust according to one’s personal taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.